HOMESEARCH PACKAGES

Our Homesearch Packages are customized to your individual needs!

The homesearch is always the heart of our programs. It enables us to achieve several objectives: you are happy with your new home and found something really reasonable on the local real estate market. You are reassured that everything is normal with the lease agreement and all administrative topics are taken care of (Premium Package). During the visits, our local consultant shares her knowledge of distinctive locations in town and the memories created increase the feeling of attachment to the new city.

The real estate market in Germany's urban areas is very much a landlords' market. There are too few apartments for too many applicants. This is not only resulting in rising rents, it also means that landlords can dictate their requirements (within the legal liimits of course). The reality is, that landlords will dictate the timing of appointments, and negotiation about pricing is next to always resultung in a rejection. Consequently, the timing of the whole search needs to be reconciled with you. Coming to Germany for 2 days to undertake the visits like it is common in other countries would most likely be a very disappointing experience, because in a worst case scenario only 1 or 2 apartments can be shown which match your search criteria. Our strong recommendation is therefore, to prepare to renting a furnished temporary stay for 1-2 months and start the search once you are here and flexible for any visitation appointments. We have compiled very helpful articels about housing in Germany. The German government also maintains a very helpful website on the aspects of housing.

The situation is much less critical with furnished apartments. A furnished apartments can often be rented without you visiting it and there will be less applicants competing. Since the lease period will be short-term, the vetting process by the landlords is also less detailed.

Our Homesearch Packages usually include the following:

The Briefing Telco is very important to us and takes usually 1 to 1,5 hours:

We explain the real estate market, the possible maximum rent with the given salary and what to expect for that money regarding location and size.

We further dig into the legalities of the rental market and deduct the schedule for the search.

The telco creates trust in our services and we achieve as much understanding for your preferences as possible.

The Search:

Homesearch Packages are all covering one search only, that means it does not support changing the search criteria once our search has commenced. Search criteria are therefore carefully mutually agreed and you will be asked for preferences, so that we can prioritize in accordance with your wishes. You may convert a Smart Package into a Premium Package anytime, you can add individual services anytime.

There is no additional charges involved. A real estate agent commission, if applicable, will be paid by the landlord. Cold rent is tax-free, side cost are subject VAT and usually amount to 2-3 EUR/m², usually a bit more the smaller the apartment. Exposés regularly include any VAT applicable. Security deposits are required in the amount of 3 cold monthly rents and need to be paid before handover.

The average amount spent on cold rent in urban neighbourhoods is 1/3 of your net income. Prices start at minimum 7-9 EUR/m² in rural areas , in urban areas minimum 9-11 EUR/m², but in very popular areas you will face significantly higher rents.

We dig into every exposé published via the big webportals – we also inquire with our real estate agents if they have something „on stock“ not yet published, but likelihood in the big cities of Germany is 1%.

We check commuting time with public transport as well as shopping facilities.

We introduce you to the realtor and establish the status of rent and whether a visit is possible.

Every suggestion we make will be a verified property. The realtor will know your general background and based on that has invited you to visit the apartment. Sometimes, this depends on your rental budget. For low-budget apartments, realtors often don't take the effort to really review applications and just send out general invitations.

We then compare the possible options and evaluate which we believe would be the best options. The suggestions will likely not be made in one go, but will spread over one or two weeks – depending on how good the options currently available are.

We will usually not suggest open visits (published openly on the web), but only visits where a maximum of 10 applicants are allowed.

We are completely independent from any real estate agent.

The accompanied visits are a great opportunity for you to ask numerous questions and to try to understand the diverse neighbourhoods. Depending on the locations and the time allowed, we will pick you up or meet you at a train station. For us the accompaniment is important to make use of our leverage effect regarding approval. Approval rate for accompanied visits is significantly higher. With a reasonable rental budget, our success rate is >95% with 5 visits only.

We will communicate on behalf of you with the realtor regarding the process of signing of the lease agreement, the date of the handover, the clarification of questions regarding the status of the apartment, as well as the personal statement („Selbstauskunft“) and financial documents to be provided.

Lease Agreement: We explain the key conditions of the contract and advise on the expectations by neighbours as well as the landlord on how to maintain a „German household“. However, we do not accept liability for any wrong or misleading explanations as we are no lawyers. Should we recognize a stipulation which is unusual and raises concern we will notify and recommend that the contract is being reviewed either by your employer’s legal department or a third-party lawyer.

Often the following services are not necessary for furnished apartments - landlords speak reasonably good English, lease agreements come in bilingual wording, and/or utilities are included in the lumpsum rent. For unfurnished apartments it is recommended to book them, which makes the PREMIUM Package the most beneficial service package.

Handover: We witness the handover and follow our own schedule of things to check, so that the protocol is comprehensive. We will take photos of any damages or non-renovated areas, we will follow-up with the signing of the protocol. Should any repairs be outstanding we will follow-up with the landlord until they are done.

Utilities: Mostly, the tenant needs to contract electricity and water, sometimes also heating. We prepare the contracts with the local standard providers. The price quoted does not cover so-called alternative providers as contracting with them causes significantly more effort. If we shall include a thorough comparison of utility pricing we can deliver but it will cost extra.

Internet: We will check which provider offers the fastest connection and provide details of the available tariffs. Once the newcomer decided we will sign up on behalf of him and follow-up until internet is available. Often, problems occur with the installation in which case we help to resolve the issues together with the support team of the provider. Extra cost may occur and we will communicate with the landlord in case we believe he may take over the cost.

Orientation Tour

Moving to a new country is an exciting adventure, but it also slightly freightening. The Orientation Tour is designed to help you gathering a better perception of your new destination and to adjust expectations.

The benefits of an Orientation Tour:

The time spend with a local expert and the hands-on experience with selected neighborhoods help you to imagine yourself in the new town

The intensive time with our local expert will give you a more comprehensive idea of the changes you will face and the necessities to think about.

You will get a lot of insight into the exciting things you can do once you call this town your new home and you will be able to discuss your worries and put them into perspective with a local.

Ideally, the Orientation Tour is part of a coordinated program, developed together with the HR department. The combined effort of area orientation about life and culture as well as business and office orientation about how business is done will help match expectation. Matching expectations are one of the key factors for a successful hire or assignment. We therefore recommend to make an area orientation tour as well as distinctive culture coaching a fix part of the onboarding program.

Because the needs and expectations are extremely individual we customize every Orientation Tour to exactly what you want and need to know. The starting point is consequently an extensive telco to gathering the specific demands. We will then prepare the tour and reconcile our ideas again before showing you around the city.

You can book any tour duration desired, starting with 3 hours.

Temp Stay Arrangements

In Germany's urban areas it is tremendously difficult to find a home. First, there is not enough apartments in numbers for the many people searching an apartment. Second, due to that situation landlords can dictate their schedules and conditions. Nowadays, we are not able to guarantee 5 visits a day, but would often need you for a full week, to be able to show you 5 properties. In order to increase the number of available options flexibility is key.

We therefore recommend to book a short-term furnished space for 1-2 months. Our standard service would comprise:

Research and booking of hotel accommodation or serviced apartments based on defined budget and duration.

We will search for the best available deal and book without further reconciliation.

Visits to verify the location would be additional service.

Coordinating cancelation or adjustment by you would be additional service.

MINI Package

The MINI Package is for furnished apartments only. It assumes that you will not be available for visitation appointments. We will conduct them on your behalf. It consists of the following steps:

Telco to explain the market and define the search criteria

Search and usually up to 5 suggestions

Up to 2 visitation appointments, providing additional photos and videos as well as personal opinion. Where possible we will invite you on a virtual tour.

Communication with the real estate agent / landlord

Explanation of the lease agreement

SMART Package

The SMART Package is good for furnished as well as unfurnished apartments. In contrast to the MINI Package you will be in Germany for the visitation appointments. It is for small budgets and you would have to take over after the lease agreement is signed and handle handover and utilities yourself. Or book additional services.

It consists of the following steps:

Telco

Search (usually up to 7-8 suggestions)

Joint visit of up to 3 - 4 properties

Communication

Lease Agreement

PREMIUM Package

The PREMIUM Package is likewise good for furnished as well as unfurnished apartments. On top of the SMART Package you will have a borader selection, more visits and we will support with the handover and the utilities.

It consists of the following steps:

Telco

Search (usually between 10-15 suggestions)

Joint visit of up to 5-7 properties

Communication

Lease Agreement

Handover,

Utilities

Internet

Order a Homesearch Package

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